{"id":2398,"date":"2014-04-17T08:50:13","date_gmt":"2014-04-17T15:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rickdebruhl.com\/?p=2398"},"modified":"2014-04-17T08:50:13","modified_gmt":"2014-04-17T15:50:13","slug":"car-review-2014-chevrolet-corvette","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carcentrick.com\/?p=2398","title":{"rendered":"Car Review: 2014 Chevrolet Corvette"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are really only two questions you have to answer before deciding to buy a\u00a02014 Corvette.<\/p>\n

\"2014<\/a>
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first is whether you and whatever family may have can live with a two-seater. It doesn’t mean you can’t have kids, you just need another family car that can do the necessary hauling.<\/p>\n

The second is whether you can afford it. And that’s not as tough as you might think. The price for the base 2014 Corvette is $53,000. I saw some advertised for about $55,000, which means you could get out the door for around $60,000. Not cheap, but frankly a screaming deal for what you’ll get.<\/p>\n

\"2014<\/a>
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible is Great Looking From Every Angle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If the answer to both those questions is yes, then what are you waiting for. Run. Run right now and buy one.<\/p>\n

I can tell by that slightly skeptical scowl that you’re still not convinced so I’ll have to make the case for why there is absolutely no excuse for not owning one.<\/p>\n

\"2014<\/a>
Who Wouldn’t Love 460 HP?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Let’s start with performance. The new, and definitely improved,\u00a0Corvette has a\u00a06.2-liter V8 engine that develops 460 horsepower. For those of you who don’t know much about horsepower in modern cars, that is a lot. It’s enough to push the Corvette from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds.\u00a0Trust me, that is uber-quick for any modern\u00a0car.\u00a0Most folks are shocked to find out that the Corvette actually delivers great mileage: 16 mpg\u00a0in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. My week with the car averaged close to 20.\u00a0The LT1 engine does it with features like direct fuel injection, variable\u00a0valve timing and cylinder deactivation.<\/p>\n

Chevrolet says it’s the quickest and most capable Corvette ever made. Their engineers would know. This latest version uses magnetic selective ride control, 7 speed transmission with active rev matching and 5 driving modes: Weather, Eco, Touring, Sport and Track. Frankly, most cars you can’t tell much difference when you switch between driving modes. The Corvette not only drives different it sounds different. Switch from Touring\u00a0to Sport and suddenly baffles within the exhaust system shift to give the car a distinctive growl. My test showed it was 5 db louder.\u00a0I tend to be pretty cheap, but this\u00a0Multi Mode Exhaust\u00a0is truly worth\u00a0the extra $1,195.<\/p>\n

You can get the base model or you can bump up to the Z51 performance package. You’ll get stuff like\u00a0bigger wheels, larger brakes, dry sump oil system, different gear ratios shocks and springs. Frankly, the base Corvette delivers so much performance, I just can’t see paying to add more. That’s not a knock on the Z51, but a compliment to the basic model.<\/p>\n

\"2014<\/a>
The New Corvette Delivers Quality Inside<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Corvette has to handle two significant wants. Performance and luxury. When you pay north of 60 grand, people aren’t willing to accept average materials. The new Corvette delivers inside. Wonderful leather seats, baseball stitching on the dash and all the modern electronics will make just about any luxury car owner feel at home. My test car was the convertible. Base price was $56,000, with the final sticker price coming in at $67,430. It also had the $4210 2LT package\u00a0which added includes premium sound, heated and ventilated seats, heads up display and more. Again, it was nice, but you could still have a lot of fun with the lowest priced model. The one thing you lose with the convertible is luggage space, which is actually excellent with the hardtop.<\/p>\n

Driving the Corvette is simply a blast. The first thing you’ll need to do is find a place where you can accelerate every day. There’s one on ramp on my way to work that is a little longer. Even in rush hour it gives me plenty of space to accelerate. It was a thrill every morning and something you won’t tire of quickly. But this car isn’t about brute power. It drives pleasantly at any speed. Yes, it’s slightly stiffer. After all, it is a sports car. But the various modes allow you to adjust it to a comfortable point. Chevrolet points out that the new Corvette is 100 pounds\u00a0lighter and more rigid than the last model, which makes for better handling.<\/p>\n

\"2014<\/a>
Those Hood Louvers Really Work!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And if that’s not enough, this car looks like something special. The fastest way to start an argument is to ask a group of Corvette fans which era looked the best. As much as I liked all the previous versions, this one stands out even more. The aggressive angular styling tells everyone that the car is built to move. Trust me, you will get noticed. Even better is the fact that louvers and vents that are just for show on most cars are very real on the Corvette. Like the air extractor on the hood. It actually pulls air through the radiator and then vents it in such a way that it helps the aerodynamics of the car.<\/p>\n

Don’t get me wrong, the Corvette is not perfect. At times I thought the traction control struggled to keep up with all that horsepower. I also found the electric door handles a little odd, and had to use the manual release several times. Still, those are minor annoyances for what you’ll get in return.<\/p>\n

\"Corvette<\/a>
Corvette Dash With the Chevy MyLink System<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And there’s one last reason to buy a Corvette. It may be the best performance package you can buy for the money. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not cheap. But most of its competitors cost a lot more. Sure, you could get something more exotic, and you might get more performance. But you’ll pay a lot for the privilege.<\/p>\n

So ask yourself the two simple questions. Can you live with a two-seater? Can you afford $60,000 to $70,000? If the answer is yes, then there’s no excuse not to own the new Corvette.<\/p>\n

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